Vernon's Texas Rules Annotated - VTRA TX R MONTGOMERY CTY INDIG DEF Contract Defender Program

1. The judge of each court trying criminal cases shall post in writing in the Office of Court Administration and with District Clerk's office, the method used by the court to appoint counsel to represent indigent defendants. A court may use any of the alternative methods, described below to make appointments

2. An attorney assigned to a case under any method shall zealously represent a defendant until the defendant is acquitted, appeals are exhausted, or the court, after entering a finding of good cause on the record, relieves the attorney and/or replaces the attorney with other counsel.

1. “Contract Defender Program” means a private attorney acting as an independent contractor and compensated with public funds who is assigned to provide legal representation and services to indigent defendants for a specific period of time lasting more than a week but no more than fifteen months.

1. The Office of Indigent Defense will email notice of the opportunity, procedure and requirements to apply to be a contract defender to the Criminal Defense Bar, Montgomery County Bar and all current attorneys accepting criminal appointments. The notification shall inform attorneys of all the requirements for submitting the resume.

a. Name and bar card number

b. Telephone, facsimile and e-mail

c. Work Experience

d. Education

e. Trial Experience

f. Picture